A grassroots campaign to save the best of Milton Keynes from the worst of development

RED ALERT – “THE HULK”

Here’s a post from the archives. It took two years to fight this disastrous plan but against massive odds the people prevailed! Please read on…

Dec 2011: Xplain has discovered that the centre:mk want to build a great hulk of an extension to the shopping building by demolishing the southern half of Secklow Gate Bridge and removing the market!

This is just four months after MK Council finally repaired the bridge and just as traffic and trade is getting back to normal in CMK.

Their sketchy plans (filed with the Council last week) reveal a chilling disregard for the people of MK.

It’s early days, but if this went ahead it would have a huge impact on our city centre, including:

– loss of a major traffic and cycling route through CMK
– extra traffic & congestion on surrounding roads including leafy Campbell Park
– huge changes to the way the city looks and works
– serious damage to our superb Grade ll Listed shopping building
– threat to the market’s survival – they haven’t said where it would go (and probably prefer it to vanish completely)
– loss of safe pedestrian routes and public space

And what do we get in return? Another chain store!

A POLITICAL HOT POTATO

After our Xplain campaign exposed the scandalous mismanagement and murky dealings of the council, and with the Chief Executive’s job on the line, this new plan will be a political hot potato. The previous political leaders (Lib-Dems) always tried to deny they deliberately kept the bridge closed, despite mounting costs, due to a cosy, private arrangement with the centre:mk. And the current leaders (Conservative) will want to make sure they avoid any more scandal.

XPLAIN is already firmly on the case and with your support we’ll fight the arrival of the HULK.

PLEASE drop in to the centre:mk’s ‘public consulation’ on the plans which will be displayed in Sunset Walk (House of Fraser area) on Dec 2nd & 3rd.

And if you don’t want this private retail empire to dismantle our city centre please tell them what you think!